Jack Webb resigns after five seasons at the helm of Effingham County's less-than-stellar football program

Effingham County High School head football coach Jack Webb talks to his players during a spring practice in May. Webb submitted his resignation Monday after five seasons with the Rebel squad. This passed season his team went 3-7 overall and 2-4 in Region 2-AAAA. (Effingham Now file photo)

Former Effingham High School head football coach Jack Webb points out to his players during spring practice in May. Webb resigned Monday morning after his fifth season yielded a 3-7 record. He said he will see what his options are for his future. (Effingham Now file photo)

SPRINGFIELD - The Jack Webb era of football at Effingham County High School ended Monday.

After five seasons as Rebel head coach, Webb handed in his resignation. In that time Webb posted a 22-29 record, but his final two seasons yielded only five total victories.

The last came in Webb's final game when his Rebels upset then-first-place Ware County, 7-6, Friday night at Rebel Field.

"In this business, sometimes things just don't work out," Principal Yancy Ford said. "Not that Jack Webb did anything wrong. He's a great man, and he's very respected in this community."

Ford, though, said he wants to see the Rebels win more football games.

"Five years ago I didn't think we'd be 2-8 and 3-7 at this point in time," he said.

Before taking the reins as Effingham's head coach Webb spent 15 years as an assistant coach at Statesboro High School, and was the interim head coach there in 1996.

Webb, 54, said he will remain at Effingham as a weight-training instructor through the end of the school year, but he is unsure of his plans beyond that.

"For right now, I don't know," Webb said. "We'll see what's available and what comes up."

Webb wants to continue to coach.

People who grew to know the former Rebel coach spoke highly of him.

Wayne Munch, the Rebel offensive coordinator, has been with Webb since Day One at Effingham County.

"He's a good man," Munch said. "I'm going miss him, and I hate to see him go."

Former Rebel defensive lineman and tight end Russ Woods, who graduated from Effingham County High in 2008, said he always enjoyed playing for Webb.

"It was a great experience," Woods said. "He was a great coach, a great leader and just a great motivator. He had a real passion about the game and really cared for his players."

Woods said Webb wanted to see everyone on his team succeed, even the last man on the bench.

"He wanted to win," he said. "But it was the fact that he cared about every single player that sticks out to me."

This season Webb's Rebels were plagued by turnovers, costing them scoring opportunities throughout the season.

The team surrendered 29 turnovers in its first nine games.

Friday night, though, the Rebels did not turn the ball over, and forced Ware to cough the ball up three times.

"We finally flipped that over on our side and we were able to win," Webb said after his final game.

Principal Ford said he believes Effingham County will be able to attract qualified coaches.

"First and foremost I'll sit down with the athletic director (Tim Hood) and the superintendent (Randy Shearouse)," Ford said. "I feel like we have a lot to offer a coach - great kids, great parents and we've got great assistant coaches. I've got nothing negative to say about them."